All posts tagged The Art of the dynamic handgun

Keeping spare parts around

This weekend I got a rare chance to actually get out and practice some urban combat tacticals and had the most fun I’ve had in awhile.   A few months ago I did some practical handgun defensive shooting training, but I kind of lost the feel of recoil and that’s not something i like to feel when I’m on the range.   I have in the past pushed myself to practice shooting defensively from a cold mindset.   What do I mean?  Nobody warms up to a self defense situation, sometimes you are thrown into it.

Once you have your safe gun handling skills down, there’s nothing wrong with pushing yourself.   I recently got a reminder about checking things on a firearm before training though.  I carry lots of spare parts for my AR15 bolt, but I didn’t have a stock tool or spare detent pin and springs.  I watched a few gun dvds, specifially the AR15 Armorer’s course with Dean Caputo.  One good thing about having something like this is being able to identify the parts that go in certain areas and what they are used for.

 

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Now this is going to get interesting

I have walked many a gun show floor and walked by the booths that had all of the assemble and disassemble books.   Those are useful, but at many times very hard to read.   Little arrows and pictures can still make it hard to comprehend.   Along comes the VHS and DVD world and AGI has done a good job on this.   I’m also a very big fan of Clint Smith and his DVD collection although pretty expensive really turns out to be worth the money spent.   For the most part they are well produced, but a few spotty parts should have been re-shot.

Panteao Productions has there shit together.  I just saw a glimpse of the next in line, Travis Haley, who recently left Magpul, and started Haley Strategic Partners, is working with Panteao Productions to release “Adaptive Carbine” his first production since leaving Magpul.  Travis is kinda the rockstar of the gun DVDs.  The production on the Magpul Dynamics DVD series are outstanding.  I’ve only been able to watch the Make Ready Series a few times, but I haven’t been let down.  If I pick all of the best firearm instructors I know,  I’m betting there all on the schedule with Panteao Productions.

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The cost of firearm instruction

I have several DVDs in my collection that are from various firearms instructors, Gabe Suarez, Clint Smith and Rob Pincus to name a few.   I would have to say that some of their DVDs have good points and some are kinda weak in others.   I think Clint Smith’s DVD’s are introductory and very good for breaking someone in to shooting, but most of the DVDs that I have watched from his collection are not as advanced as the stuff coming from Magpul.   I have never been to Thunder Ranch so I’m not going to downplay or say that place isn’t a good place to go, I’ve never been there, but have heard good things although I know there are various levels of training going on.

The Magpul Art of the Tactical Carbine volumes I and volume II are outstanding firearms instruction for those looking to up their skills.   It wasn’t the same old shooting positions and malfunction clearings that you tend to see from others.  There are some really advanced gun handling skills as well as very well done communication skills.   It always takes me 2 or 3 runs at watching the DVD to soak it in, but I have been very impressed with the Magpul DVD series.   Soon I’ll get a chance to watch the Shotgun one and give you my thoughts.

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Magpul DVD review

I am almost all the way through the entire Magpul DVD collection.    After several years of being on the firing range as a student and an instructor, I have often been asked if I know about any good DVDs for training.   I started out watching The Art of the tactical Carbine Volume I over a year ago and finished off Volume II about 6 months ago.   I thought the volume of info and the length of the DVDs to be very well worth the amount of money I spent, I was really impressed with how much time there was.    I would recommend these DVDs to beginners even though I do not think they are novice level training.  There are some basics in this, but the application of advanced basics is in there.

The Magpul Aerial Platform DVD was in my opinion more for the History Channel than it was for the gun owner, but I would get this one last over the other three Volumes.     The Art of the dynamic handgun is by far the best bang for the buck.   Clint Smith has some very well produced DVDS but they were expensive and I thought they could have been more informative.   I give them to family members that are new to firearms, but the Magpul dvds were in my opinion a step up.   I haven’t been to Thunder Ranch, but I intend to do so some day due to it’s great reputation, but I think The folks at Magpul owe me some more defensive training DVDs.

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